Apparatus for preservative storing and transportation of produce

ABSTRACT

The ceiling walls defining the inner space of a storage unit for foodstuffs such as a freight car or a trailer, for example, are provided with foramina paneling which can be swung into and out of place. A plurality of open trays constructed of wire mesh or other perforated material are slidingly received within the space between the foraminated panels and the freight car or trailer outer wall. Alternatively, the trays may be hung from the ceiling wall by hooks. Into each of the trays, slablike sacks or bags of a suitable preservative material, such as lime, for example, are placed for removing gases from the ambient atmosphere which would be deleterious to the foodstuffs.

United States Patent [191 Tempero 1 APPARATUS FOR PRESERVATIVE STORING AND TRANSPORTATION OF PRODUCE [75] Inventor: Robert L. Tempero, San Jose, Calif.

[73] Assignee: TransFresh Corporation, Salinas,

Calif.

[22] Filed: Mar. 9, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 233,032

[52] US. Cl 99/646 R; 99/467; 99/482; 296/1 R [51] Int. Cl. B61D 17/18 [58] Field of Search 99/467, 646, 482; 296/22, 296/1 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 133,000 11/1872 Yaw 99/467 X 148,720 3/1874 Long 99/467 X 252,787 l/1882 McCall 99/467 X 709,431 9/1902 Baker 99/646 X 1,431,046 10/1922 Robertson 99/646 X 1,517,463 12/1924 Rose 99/467 X 1,578,218 3/1926 Thompson 99/646 X 1,589,215 6/1926 Ordway 99/646 X 2,085,991 7/1937 Minor 99/482 X The ceiling walls defining the inner space of a storage Primary E.\'amt'nerI-Iarvey C. Homsby Assistant Examiner-James A. Niegowski Attorney, Agent, or FirmGeorge J. Netter, Esq.

ABSTRACT unit for foodstuffs such as a freight car or a trailer, for example, are provided with foramina paneling which can be swung into and out of place. A plurality of open trays constructed of wire mesh or other perforated material are slidingly received within the space between the foraminated panels and the freight car or trailer outer wall. Alternatively, the trays may be hung from the ceiling wall by hooks. Into each of the trays, slablike sacks or bags of a suitable preservative material, such as lime, for example, are placed for removing gases from the ambient atmosphere which would be deleterious to the foodstuffs.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 3,918,357

APPARATUS FOR PRESERVATIVE STORING AND TRANSPORTATION OF PRODUCE The present invention relates generally to apparatus for preserving produce during storage and transporta- I tion, and, in particular, such apparatus which continu- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Past approaches to preserving fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits during storage and transportation have taken several distinct forms. According to a first known technique, preservative materials have been added to the individual produce packages, which materials, of course, only have preservative influence upon the produce within the given package. In another technique which has been utilized in the past, the shipping or storing vehicle containing space, such as the interior of a truck trailer or railroad freight car, has been filled with a special preservative gas supplanting the air normally found therein.

Where individual cartons, packages or crates are provided with chemical preservatives, difficulties may be encountered in the packaging technique to incorporate the preservative material therein and to insure that there is good distribution of it throughout the entire package. All in all, this approach for many types of products is far to expensive and difficult to apply. Also, there is the problem that the usual packaging techniques for certain kinds of produce do not lend themselves easily to individual package treatment.

On the other hand, where an artificial preservative atmosphere is provided, this necessitates that the storing or shipping room or container be sealed to a substantial degree to prevent loss of the artificial atmosphere during storage or shipment. Also, relatively complex and expensive equipment is required to exchange the atmosphere in a freight car or truck trailer, which, although fully satisfactory for certain types of products, does not prevent the accumulation of undesirable gases that are emitted by the product in some cases.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION In practice of the present invention, the ceiling walls defining the inner space of a freight car or a trailer, for example, are provided with paneling which can be swung into and out of place or otherwise easily removed, which panels also include a plurality of foramina. A plurality of open trays constructed of wire mesh 'or other perforated material are slidingly received within the space between the foraminated panels and the freight car or trailer outer wall. Into each of the trays, sacks or bags of a suitable preservative material, such as lime, for example, are placed.

In use, while the produce resides in the car or trailer, respiration and certain other biological changes occur which increase the carbon dioxide content of the air while at the same time producing a decrease in the oxygen present. As the atmosphere circulates, it will pass through the foramina in the panels and come into contact with the preservative materials contained in the sacks or bags and the undesirable constituent gases, such as carbon dioxide, are removed. Also, without special measures being taken, the freight car or trailer is so constructed that a certain amount of outside air makes its way to the interior, replacing the oxygen that is used up by respiration of the produce.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a broken away, perspective view of the inside of a trailer or freight car modified in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a removable preservative material tray for use in the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the present invention is considered applicable for use with preservative materials of many kinds, it possesses particular utility where lime, i.e., calcium oxide or its hydrated form calcium hydroxide or other suitable chemical, is used to remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Moreover, although the spirit of the invention may be useful for a variety of different enclosures within which crates, cartons or boxes of produce are stored, the invention was especially conceived for utilization in freight cars and truck trailers that transport produce.

Turning now to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, the container enumerated generally as 10 can be either a truck trailer, a railroad freight car or any other transportable container suitable for storing a number of packages of produce during such transportation. That is, the container 10 is adapted for holding relatively large quantities of produce and in particular vegetables or fruit carried in boxes, crates or the like (not shown).

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the container 10 includes a ceiling wall 11 and vertical upstanding walls 12 connected therewith and only one vertical wall depicted. Although other types of supports may be used, the ceiling wall 1 1 is interconnected with the walls 12 and supported therefrom by truss members 13 which extend transversely of the container 10 and are spaced from one another longitudinally along the container.

The uppermost regions of the container 10, as generally defined by the truss members, is a space which cannot be effectively used for stacking crates, boxes, or other packages or produce. Accordingly, this space, bounded by the ceiling wall 11 and lower edge of the trusses 13 is enclosed by a plurality of generally rectangular ceiling panels 14. More particularly, each panel 14 is a generally sheet-like expanse having a plurality of openings or foramina 15 therein. The panels are each pivotally connected along an edge to the wall 12 by a hinge 16, such that the panel may be swung from a maximum upper, generally horizontal, position enclosing the ceiling space and the truss members 13, to a generally vertical position where the panel rests against the side wall. Stiffening grooves 17 extend across each panel to increase the panel rigidity against sagging when located in their uppermost position. A plurality of fastening means 18 are provided along the edge margin opposite the hinge edge of each panel for securing the panels to the upper edge of a ceiling plate 19 to maintain them in their upper position. Any number of different kinds of known securing means may be used for the means 18, the most satisfactory found to date being the quick connect-disconnect variety sometimes referred to as twist-lock screws.

Turning now to both FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of tray means 20 for carrying sacks, bags or other types of packages 21 of a preservative material are supported in a way that will be more particularly described later herein in the upper space of the container 10. Each tray 20 includes an outwardly opening, generally rectangular shell 22 formed from wire mesh or other perforated material. The shell 22 is secured to a rectangular frame 23 by a suitable securing means (not shown) with the tray concavity opening away from the frame. The frame has a long dimension d which is approximately half again as long as its transverse dimension a in the preferred form, although variations from these dimensions can be made and still be within the spirit of the invention. A pair of elongated metal slides 24 and 25 are secured to the lower surfaces of the wooden frame 23 extending parallel to one another and the long dimension d. Each of the slides 24 and 25 includes downwardly turned ends 26, i.e., away from frame 23, for a purpose to be described.

As seen best in FIG. 2, the slides 24 and 25 extend slightly beyond the frame ends, and are of a total length such that the slide ends 26 can be received within slide channels formed on adjacent truss members by C- shaped channel irons 27 secured to the lower edge of the truss members. When so positioned the trays may be moved along the channel irons 27 parallel to the truss members promoting flexibility and ease of positioning.

In use, a tray 20 is first loaded with the sacks or bags of preservative material 21, one of which is shown in place in FIG. 3. Next, the loaded tray is lifted up into place with the turned down parts 26 of the slides 24 and 25 being received into the grooves of the channel as described before. The loaded tray is then slid along the channels and further loaded trays may be placed on the same channels extending across the width of container 10, the exact number of trays to be accommodated depending upon the dimensions of the container and the tray and the product being transported.

As an optional manner of loading, the empty trays are positioned in the truss receiving channels one at a time, and loaded while so positioned. This technique offers the advantage of not requiring the lifting of more than one bag or sack of preservative material at a time into place.

Bags or sacks or preservative material 21 may be constructed of cloth, such as burlap, or of Kraft type paper, which permits passage of the environmental gases to the contained materials. Thus, during storage and transportation, environmental air passes through the foramina or circulates above the ceiling panels 14, thereby making its way to the preservative materials in the tray, and in this way removing gases which promote deterioration or discoloration of the produce. For example, a common problem in the shipping of produce is a creation of a high carbon dioxide atmosphere which not only tends to discolor the produce, but promotes deterioration and in time, gives the produce an unpleasant odor. In order to remove or scrubthe carbon dioxide from the container atmosphere, the bags or sacks 21 preferably include so called hydrated lime, Ca(Ol-I) which reacts with the carbon dioxide and in that way the environmental atmosphere of the container is kept satisfactorily low in content of carbon dioxide. Although other chemical preservatives may be used in the manner described, the subject invention is primarily contemplated for removing or lowering the amount of carbon dioxide in the enclosed atmosphere.

There is provided in accordance with the practice of this invention a transportable container for including a plurality of cartons, crates, boxes or packages of fresh produce. The upper container space is provided with rack means for slidingly receiving open trays within which are carried sacks or bags of hydrated lime for maintaining the container atmosphere within acceptably low limits of carbon dioxide. As the hydrated lime becomes charged with carbon dioxide, the sacks are easily replaced with fresh ones by dropping the panels 14, removing the used up sacks of hydrated lime from the trays and replacing them with new ones.

The amount of hydrated lime required is dependent upon the volume of the container, the type of product being transported and the time during which the product is transported and stored in the container. For example, a typical application is the storage and transportation of lettuce in a freight car having approximately 4000 cubic feet containing volume for a ten day journey. In this situation, 200 pounds of hydrated lime packaged in the manner previously described would be required. Although packaging of the hydrated lime has been referenced only generally above, the exact manner of packaging is important in that it has been found that carbon dioxide will penetrate, and thereby change, a layer of hydrated lime to a depth of not more than one inch before a crust is formed on the lime that prevents the passage of carbon dioxide therethrough. Accordingly, the packages, sacks or bags of hydrated lime are of a generally flat nature, not more than 2 inches deep as measured across the dimension indicated as D in order to assure substantially complete utilization of the hydrated lime. When packaging in this manner, the freight car can be satisfactorily treated for the complete ten day journey by the use of approximately 200 pounds of hydrated lime.

In some circumstances it may not be feasible to lower the sealing panels 14 and instead the trays may be suspended directly from the sealing panels by means of hooks 28, the ends of which are received within the openings 15.

What is claimed is:

1. A transportable storage unit for repeated use in carrying a plurality of packages of perishable foodstuffs, comprising:

wall means defining an enclosed storage space within which the foodstuffs packages are carried, including ceiling, floor and side wall means;

spaced guide means affixed to the ceiling wall means;

open-top tray means constructed of a perforated material slidably received within said guide means, said tray means being supported solely along edge margins by said guide means, leaving a substantial area between the edge margins exposed;

gas permeable bag means restingly received within said tray means;

a quantity of hydrated lime received within said bag means in a generally horizontal layer of not more than about 2 inches thick which absorbs carbon dioxide added to the storage space atmosphere by the foodstuffs during storage therein; and moveable foraminous panels arranged below the guide means separating the storage unit into a ceiling space containing said tray means and a food- 6 movably and slidably engaged with said guide means;

gas permeable bag means including a slablike quantity of hydrated lime therein which absorbs carbon dioxide added to the storage space atmosphere by said foodstuff, said bag means being restingly located in said tray means;

said packages of foodstuffs being located solely within the storage space such that said packages can be added to and removed from said storage space without disturbing said tray means and bag means. 

1. A transportable storage unit for repeated use in carrying a plurality of packages of perishable foodstuffs, comprising: wall means defining an enclosed storage space within which the foodstuffs packages are carried, including ceiling, floor and side wall means; spaced guide means affixed to the ceiling wall means; open-top tray means constructed of a perforated material slidably received within said guide means, said tray means being supported solely along edge margins by said guide means, leaving a substantial area between the edge margins exposed; gas permeable bag means restingly received within said tray means; a quantity of hydrated lime received within said bag means in a generally horizontal layer of not more than about 2 inches thick which absorbs carbon dioxide added to the storage space atmosphere by the foodstuffs during storage therein; and moveable foraminous panels arranged below the guide means separating the storage unit into a ceiling space containing said tray means and a foodstuff storage space for said foodstuffs packages in spaced relation to said panels.
 2. A transportable storage unit for carrying packages of fresh produce or other perishable foodstuffs, which automatically and continuously removes carbon dioxide from the storage unit atmosphere, comprising: ceiling, floor and side wall means defining the storage unit; moveable foraminous panels separating the storage unit into a ceiling space and a foodstuffs storage space; spaced guide means affixed to the ceiling wall means and located solely within the ceiling space; open-top tray means constructed of wire mesh removably and slidably engaged with said guide means; gas permeable bag means including a slablike quantity of hydrated lime therein which absorbs carbon dioxide added to the storage space atmosphere by said foodstuff, said bag means being restingly located in said tray means; said packages of foodstuffs being located solely within the storage space such that said packages can be added to and removed from said storage space without disturbing said tray means and bag means. 